Introducing the African Chicken Genetic
Gains project
A Platform for Testing, Delivering, and Continuously Improving Tropically-Adapted
Chickens for Productivity Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa
First ACGG Ethiopia Innovation Platform Meeting
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 3-4 August 2015
Tekelyohannes Berhanu
South Agricultural Research Institute

Selection of Regions (sub-nationals)

Chicken population of Ethiopia in , 000 (CSA-2010/11)
Region
Populations
local Hybrid Exotic Total
Tigray 3998 282 28 4308
Afar 66.28 ? ? 67.32
Amhara 13587 390 71 14048
Oromia 18347 176 38 18762
Somalia 106 - - 106
B.Gumuz 1144 4 1149
SNNR 10276 87 45 10408
Gambela 303 - - 303
Harari 52 2 - 54
Dire Dawa 74 3 4 81
Addis Ababa - - - -
Total 47953 944 186 49286
97.3% 100%

Ethiopia: Structure
PI (C0-PI)
NPC
SNPC
Addis Ababa
Supervisors
1,2,2,2,1
Enumerators
3, 7,9,7, 4
8,20,24,20,12
Teams
SNPC
Amahara
SNPC
Oromia
SNPC
SNNPR
SNPC
Tigray
PIT

Project Implementation Team (PIT)
Principal Investigator Dr Getnet Assefa
Co-Principal Investigator Dr Solomon Abegaz
National Project Coordinator Dr Wondomeneh Esatu???
Member, Animal Nutrition Dr Etalem Tesfaye
Member, Animal Health Dr Meskerem Adamu
Member, Animal Health Dr Tadeos Habte
Member, Animal Production Mr. Dawud Ibrahim
Member, Sociologist Mr. Alemayehu Amare
Member, Socio- economics Mr. Abera Gemechu
Member, Animal production Mr. Misbah Alewi
Member, Representative of MoA livestock Extension -
Member, representative of MoA Livestock Regulatory
directorate
-
Member, Animal Production Dr Emebet Moreda
Member, representative of second on station site -

Where ACGG project will work in Ethiopia
Regions Zones Districts
Addis Ababa(2) Kolfe, Nefas silk Kolfe W.13, Nefas silk W11.
Amhara(5) West Gojjam, Awi, North Gonder,
South Wollo
WG: South Achefer, Mecha
Awi:Banja, Fagta Lekoma
NG: Gonder Zuria
SW: Kalu
Oromia (6) East Shoa, West Shoa, East Hararhge,
West Hararghe
ES: Adamitulu-Gido Kombplcha, Dugda,
Lume, WS:Bako Tibe, Illu gelan, Dano, EH:
Haramaya; WH: Darolabu
SNNPR(5) Sidama, Wolita, Gurage, Silti, Kembata
Alaba Tembaro, Gamogofa
S:Dara; W:Boloso sore; G:Mekan, Sil:
Khulbarek, KAT:Doyo gena Gg:Arbaminch
zuria
Tigray(3) Eastern Tigray, South Eastern Tigray,
Central Tigary
ET: Klite Awlalo,
SET: Saharti samre
CT: Tahitay Maichew, Mereb Leke

ACGG PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN-Ethiopia
Criteria used to select regions, districts and villages
• Large number of poultry
• High number of smallholders rearing poultry
• Percent contribution of poultry to household income/nutrition
• Percent market share captured by smallholders
• Availability of feed resources for a growing for a growing poultry industry
• Diversity across zones for the interest of testing strains in a number of production

BASELINE SURVEY
OBJECTIVE
To define and characterize current smallholder chicken production systems, chicken ecotypes, current
realized productivity, husbandry practices, and the socio-economic status of poor smallholder farmers
METHODOLOGY
• A baseline survey will be carried out in 5 regions: Addis Ababa, Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR and Tigray
• Sampling areas will be selected by the Project Implementation Team in conjunction with Regional
Research Centers and Extension Officers
• A total of 1575 (AA-150, Amhara-375, Oromia-450, SNNPR-375, Tigray-225) households will be selected
randomly using ACGG Framework Testing Protocol including conformity with ethical guidelines.
• A total of 63 Villages (AA-6, Amhara-15, Oromia-18, SNNPR-15, Tigray-9) shall be sampled with 25 hh per
village.

BASELINE SURVEY
DATA COLLECTION
• A total of 30 enumerators and 8 supervisors and 5 SNCs will be involved in data
collection in the 5 regions
• Before data collection all enumerators and sub national coordinators will be trained on
data collection methodology and tools (ODK kit).
• Training of enumerators and SNCs will be 31st August-9th September 2015 including
pre-testing of questionnaire.
• Baseline data collection will be 1 Oct.-Nov. 15, 2015
• Subnational coordinators will supervise data collection with support from supervisors.

ON FARM PERFORMANCE TESTING OF SELECTED CHICKEN STRAINS
Objective is to assess the genetic potential of selected chicken strains under low input
production systems
NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS AND CHICKENS STRAINS (4 STRAINS)
Zone No. of
Districts
No. of Villages No. of HHDS No. of
Chickens
No. of fertile eggs
(50% H, 25% M)
Addis Ababa 2 8 240 6000 16000
Amhara 5 20 600 15000 40000
Oromia 6 24 720 18000 48000
SNNPR 5 20 600 15000 40000
Tigray 3 12 360 9000 24000
TOTAL 21 84 2520 63000 168000

ON FARM PERFORMANCE TESTING OF SELECTED CHICKEN STRAINS
METHODOLOGY
• Fertile eggs will be imported from Uganda or India for Kuroiler strains, …. for Fauyomi
strain, South Africa for Koe Koek, France for Sasso strain.
• ILRI’s business development team and the national partners will negotiate material
transfer and IPR agreements regarding these lines.
• The eggs will be hatched, vaccinated and those for on farm will be transferred to farms
where they will be brooded for three weeks while those for on station testing will be
kept at the two stations.
• Testing of these lines will be accomplished alongside the local ecotypes available on farm
in each zone.
• ILRI will work with the national teams to establish bio-security protocols and quarantine
facilities.

SELECTION OF HOUSEHOLDS
• A total 2,520 households will be selected (30 hhd per village) based on baseline survey results and made in
consultation with extension officers and community leaders, interest and willingness to participate in the
project.
• Each household receive 25 chicks (3 to 6 weeks of age) of 1 strain.
• In each district three villages out of four would receive three of the genotypes (Fa, Sa, Ku:Fa,Sa.Ko: Fa, Ku,
Ka: Sa, Ku, Ka)
HATCHING, BROODING AND DISTRIBUTION OF CHICKS
• Hatching of eggs will take place at DebreZeit Research Center
• Brooding will be done under contractual agreements or on available public owned poultry facilities
• For each region/zone brooding centres will be identified within 3 hours of driving time from the furthest
farm to avoid transit mortality and stress.
• Distribution of day old chicks duly vaccinated with Newcastle, and other important dseases.

Chicken breeds/strains selected for test
Fayoumi Kuroiler Koekoek
Sasso
Horro
• Improved Horro-Control
• Kuroiler-tropically adapted
and tested
• Fayoumi- tropically adapted
• Koekoek-tropically adapted
(need to sort out accessibility)
• Sasso – pilot testing
required

SUGGESTED LOCATIONS FOR BROODING UNITS
Region No: of Unit Place Total
Addis Ababa Lege Tafo poultry multiplication center;
Cooperatives; microenterprises
Amhara Andassa livestock research center; Gerado;
Cooperatives; microenterprises
Oromia Adele; Ambo; Fiche; Cooperatives;
microenterprises
SNNPR Gubre; Hawassa; Cooperatives;
microenterprises
Tigray Axum; Ethio-chick; Cooperatives;
microenterprises

ON STATION TESTING
• The on-station testing will be conducted at DebreZeit and Andassa/Komobolcha/
Haramaya/Jimma university
– 10*30m house for brooding
– 12-15 pens for testing (four/five strains each with 3 replications) 5m*3.3m = 16.5m2*6*2 houses
– Start with about 700 chicks per strain/breed
– Sexes grown together till 6 weeks of age on adlib feeding
– The females transferred to the experimental pens.
– The males kept in the brooding house
– Females managed following breeders’ recommendation.
– Standard vaccination programs of DZRC will be followed

Stakeholder engagement
• National Innovative platforms of stakeholders will be organized
periodically to inculcate public-private partnership along the value
chain from the outset of the project
• Village level innovation platforms will be organized to engage
stakeholders working at grass root level
• Working with project Partners
– Capacity building
– Development of sustainable breeding program

Village Innovation platform meetings
• Who to invite?
– Livestock Agency/urban agriculture office
– local administration/district, village
– Private (vet. drug, feed, stock, comm. farmers)
– Research centers -Cooperatives -Micro-finances
– Civil Societies (women assoc., youth assoc.) -NGOs
– Participant Farmer representatives -Market actors
– District trade and industry office -Rural Employment agency
• How to facilitate?
– FTC as venue
– To be conducted at district level (four villages in one meeting)

Timelines
Activity Period Responsible
Placement of SNC April to end of May, 2015 Sub national Research
coordinators and PI
Evaluate the facilities at Andassa, Kombolcha
Hawassa Haramaya and identify needs
End of May to end of August,
2015
NPC, PI and CO-PI
Training of NPC and SNC June 9-12, 2015 PICO and ACGG project team
Finalize selection of districts and villages June to August, 2015 Sub national Research
coordinators and PI
Recruitment of enumerators July and Aug., 2015 NPC, SNPC
Ethiopian Innovation platform and Launch Aug. 3-5, 2015 PICO, ACGG team, PIT
Training of enumerators 31tstAug. to 9th Sept. , 2015 ILRI, ACGG
Recruitment of MSc and PhD students Aug. to Sept., 2015 ACGG project team, PI and co-
PI
Baseline survey Oct. to Nov., 2015 Country PIT, NPC,SNPC and
enumerators
Procurement of eggs of test genotypes Jan. to Feb, 2015 Country PIT, NPC
On-station testing March 2016-June. 2017 PIT and NPC
On-Farm testing Feb. 2016-May. 2017 PIT, NPC, SNPC, Supervisors,
Enumerators